State Political Profile: Michigan
Governor
With neither candidate having a primary opponent, the general election race began months ago between charismatic Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm and one of the states wealthiest businessmen, Republican Dick DeVos. Polls have shown both DeVos and Granholm ahead at various times, but the race is expected to be very tight right up until Election Day.
DeVos -- former president of Amway Corp. and its parent company, Alticor Inc. -- has spent around $13 million of his own money through July 23 to help his campaign. Much of the money has gone to television ads -- more than a dozen so far -- that have run statewide since mid-February, greatly boosting his profile among Michigan voters and sharpening his main campaign theme that Michigan needs a new leader to turn around the economically beleaguered state.
Granholm has had to overcome more than three years of tight budgets and economic malaise during her first term as governor, and is often at odds with the Republican-controlled Legislature. But she is beginning to get some traction from her push to spend more on road construction and other projects to create jobs, and from her success at landing companies such as Google Inc., which plans to add 1,000 high-tech jobs to the Ann Arbor area over the next five years. She has been helped by ads run by the Michigan Democratic Party and began running her first ad in August, giving her a presence on the airwaves that DeVos had to himself until then.
The campaign promises to be the most expensive ever for a Michigan governors race. Michigan provides public financing for gubernatorial candidates, but DeVos is not eligible because he has given so much of his own money to the campaign. Granholm has asked for public money, but doesn't have to abide by the spending limits that normally come with it because DeVos has given so much money. Campaign finance reports filed at the end of July showed the DeVos campaign had spent $16.5 million so far and had $1.1 million on hand, while the Granholm campaign had spent $4.1 million and had $7.2 million on hand. Individual donors had given the Granholm campaign slightly more than the DeVos campaign, but DeVos -- who is not taking any PAC money -- is expected to provide most of the money for his campaign. Granholm can rely on the help of EMILYs List and labor unions and had gotten donations from such high-profile givers as entertainer Madonna.
The campaign's main theme will be the state's economy. Michigan still has an unemployment rate well above the national average, and financial troubles at General Motors, Ford and some of their major suppliers will lead to more layoffs and a rising unemployment rate as the election draws near.
The governor says she has cut business taxes, created an investment fund to attract more high-tech jobs and pushed for tougher high school classes to better prepare students to compete in the new economy. DeVos is calling for lower business taxes and less regulation, and says he has the business expertise to turn the economy around. Granholm is keeping her 2002 running mate, former state Senate Minority Leader John Cherry, while DeVos picked Oakland County Clerk Ruth Johnson, a former state representative, to be his running mate. Johnson is from the state's second-most populous county and the DeVos campaign is hoping she can bring in more GOP votes from a county that backed Democratic presidential nominees in 2000 and 2004.
U.S. Senate
Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow squeaked to a narrow victory six years ago against Republican Spencer Abraham, but heads into November with a sizeable fundraising lead over her GOP opponent, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard.
Bouchard had gotten out of the Senate race for health reasons early in 2005. But he jumped back in late in the year after being persuaded by national Republicans that an alternative was needed to the two existing GOP candidates: black megachurch minister Keith Butler of Troy and Jerry Zandstra, a former Grand Rapids think tank project director and Cutlerville minister. Zandstra didn't collect enough valid signatures to get on the ballot, and Bouchard beat Butler by 20 points in the Aug. 8 primary.
For the period ending July 19, Stabenow reported more than $4.3 million in cash on hand. Bouchard reported having more than $530,000, but spent much of that on ads in the weeks before the primary. He also lent his campaign $250,000 just before the primary. Bouchard appeared to get a bump out of his extra exposure, cutting the 20-point lead Stabenow held in mid-summer nearly in half. Bouchard is focusing his race on security -- economic as well as at the border -- and hopes he can pin some of Michigan's economic woes on his opponent. Stabenow, normally a late spender, went up on the air in August with an ad stressing her support for jobs, health care and education.
U.S. House
Republican Joe Schwarz of Battle Creek lost the 7th District primary by 6 points to one of his 2004 opponents, former state Rep. Tim Walberg of Tipton, who had the backing of Right to Life of Michigan and the conservative groups, Club for Growth and Citizens for Traditional Values. Although Schwarz raised twice as much money as Walberg, Club for Growth poured in more than $500,000 in anti-Schwarz advertising. The group also acted as a conduit for $600,000 in earmarked individual contributions, making it the source for 84 percent of Walbergs financial support through the pre-primary reporting season. Walberg is expected to easily win the general election in the GOP-leaning district against Democrat Sharon Renier, an organic farmer from Munith who ran unsuccessfully against Schwarz two years ago.
Former state lawmaker Pan Godchaux failed to unseat 9th District Rep. Joe Knollenberg in the GOP primary, despite painting Knollenberg as too conservative for the district and noting that Knollenberg tried to steer lucrative contracts to a Detroit businessman and took a Hawaiian trip paid for by lobbyists.
Most of the delegation's 13 other House members are in relatively safe seats and expected to win re-election, although Democrats are lining up to take on Republican incumbents. Tony Trupiano, a former syndicated radio host, is expected to challenge GOP Rep. Thaddeus McCotter in the 11th District. The district takes in the western suburbs of Detroit and has a heavy auto presence, so industry layoffs could be an issue for the incumbent. Democratic Grand Rapids school board member Jim Rinck will face GOP Rep. Vern Ehlers in western Michigan's 3rd district, while Democrat Robert Denison of Shelby Township will take on GOP Rep. Candice Miller in the 10th district that runs from Macomb County through the eastern side of the Michigan Thumb.
Democratic U.S. Reps. John Dingell, John Conyers and Dale Kildee are in their late 70s but all are running again.
Legislature
Democrats are hoping 2006 could be the year they finally win back either a majority in the House, where the GOP holds a 58-52 edge, or in the Senate, where Republicans hold 22 seats to Democrats' 16. Republicans have controlled the Senate since 1984, and Democrats last controlled the House in 1997-98.
-- Associated Press
